Apple Boosts iPad Storage To 128 GB, Targets Business Users

Apple Tuesday announced a new version of its fourth-generation iPad that will feature a 128-GB solid-state drive.

The new version doubles the maximum storage capacity of the iPad, which had been capped at 64 GB, and features the same technical specifications as the other fourth-generation iPad models. The 128-GB version is priced at $799 for the Wi-Fi only model and $929 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model, and will be available starting Feb. 5 in Apple retail stores, on Apple's website and through select Apple Authorized Resellers.

"With more than 120 million iPads sold, it's clear that customers around the world love their iPads, and everyday they are finding more great reasons to work, learn and play on their iPads rather than their old PCs," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, in a press statement. "With twice the storage capacity and an unparalleled selection of over 300,000 native iPad apps, enterprises, educators and artists have even more reasons to use iPad for all their business and personal needs."

In the product announcement, Apple specifically highlights the enterprise use of the iPad, claiming that "virtually all of the Fortune 500 and over 85 percent of the Global 500 [are] currently deploying or testing iPad." The increased storage capacity was, in part, designed to benefit business users storing large amounts of data on the device, such as 3-D CAD tasks, X-rays and architectural blueprints, according to Apple.

Apple has been updating its iPad product line more frequently than the typical annual release schedule it uses for the iPhone. While the iPad 2 and third-generation iPad were both launched around a year after their predecessors, Apple introduced the latest iPad and the new iPad mini about eight months after the third-generation iPad's release. The company also ditched the numerical title for each generation following the iPad 2.

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